1 Scope
This document defines a product quality model, which is applicable to ICT
(information and communication technology) products and software products. The
product quality model is composed of nine characteristics (which are further
subdivided into subcharacteristics) that relate to quality properties of the
products. The characteristics and subcharacteristics provide a reference model
for the quality of the products to be specified, measured and evaluated.
NOTE 1 In this document, a product refers to an ICT product that is part of an
information system. ICT product components include subsystems, software,
firmware, hardware, data, communication infrastructure, and other elements
that are part of the ICT product.
This model can be used for requirements specification and evaluation of the
target products’ quality throughout their lifecycle by several stakeholders,
including developers, acquirers, quality assurance and control staff and
independent evaluators. Activities in the product lifecycle that can benefit
from the use of this model include:
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— eliciting and defining product and information system requirements;
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— validating the comprehensiveness of requirements definition;
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— identifying product and information system design objectives, and design
necessary process for achieving quality;
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— identifying product and information system testing objectives;
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— identifying quality control criteria as the part of quality
assurance;
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— identifying acceptance criteria for a product and/or an information
system;
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— establishing measures of product quality characteristics in support of
these activities.
NOTE 2 Usage of the quality model for measurement is explained in Annex C.